Car-coupling.



PATBNTED 'OGTL 30, 190.6.

vHVT. KRAKAU. CAR COUPLIN'G. rPLIoATIoNfHLnD MAY 17. 1906.A

V illwsnrom I I l T0 all whom it' may concern:

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

HARRY KRAKAU, CF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, CHIC, A COR- PORATION OF CHIC.

CAR-COUPLING.

Patented oct. 3o, 1906.

Be it known that I, HARRY T. KRAKAU, of Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accom anying drawings, forming part of this speciiicaton, in Which'- Figure 1 shows two of my couplers at the moment of their rst engagement. Fig. 2 is a lsimilar view showing the couplers when they have been moved more nearly into line. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the couplers at the moment when the knuckles begin to close, and Fig. 4 shows the coupler with the knuckles closed and interlocked.

My invention relates to car couplers 1 mounted on radially-swinging draft-gears or otherwise arranged so as to have a laterallyswinging motion, and it is intended to provide means by which coupling can be effected when the cars are standing on curves which would otherwise prevent them from coupling. The purpose just mentioned cannot be effected by a sim le extension of the guardarm of the coupler 1n a straight line, because if this were attempted the engagement of such guard-arm with the knuckle of an opposing coupler which occupied a position at which it ordinarily would not couple would prematurely close' the knuckle before the coupler had been brought by the guard-arm into coupling position. I accomplish the object, however, by extending the guard arm and constructing it so that the iirst point of V engagement of its end with the opposing knuckle shall be so far tothe back of the knuckle that it will not have a tendency to turn the knuckle on its pivot, but will simply deflect the couplers and tend to draw them into line one with the other. As the couplers approach the knuckleV slides along the surface of the guard-arm until it reaches a portion thereof which engages the forward part of the knuckle and closes it into locking position in the usual way. The shape of the guard-arm may be modified to suit the degree of lateral motion of which the coupler is capable.

In the drawings, 2 3 are the couplers of adjacent cars, which in Fig. 1 are shown as standing upon a curve in such manner that the couplers are considerably out of line.

4 4 are the knuckles, which are pivoted at points 5.

6 6 are the guard-arms, each of which has an inner portion b of the construction usual in car-couplers adapted to engage and close the knuckle of the opposing coupler. The guard-arm has also an extension c, the inner surface of which is out of line with the portion b and is more divergent. At the end of the portion cis an inwardly-directed portion d, adapted to make the initial engagement with a rear part of the knuckle.

As shown in Fig. 1, as the cars ap roach the end d of one guard-arm enga es t e oposing knuckle at a rear point, and the coupers are thus crowded laterally toward one another without closing the knuckle, and as the couplers still further approach the knuckle slides along the guard-arm, as shown in Fig. 2, until it reaches the surface l), when the couplers are nearly in line and the knuckles begin to close, finally interlocking, as

shown in Fig. 4.

The shape of the parts may be modified, since 1, A laterally-movable coupler having an extended guard-arm with an end portion adapted to engage the knuckle of an opposing coupler at a rearv point without closing the same, and having an inner portion adapted to close the knuckle.

2. A laterally-'movable coupler having an extended guardarm provided with an in- 'wardly-projecting end portion arranged' to make the iirst contact with the knuckle of an opposing coupler at a rear point without closing the same, said guard-arm havin an inner portion arranged to close the knuckgle.

3. A coupler adapted for lateral motion and having a guard-arm with surfaces b c d.

In testimony whereof I have .hereunto set my hand.

HARRYT. KRAKAU.

Witnesses:

. HARRY E. ORR, F. L. Hrcxox.- 

